@article {1339,
	title = {Company Offers to Meet the Needs of Business-to-Business Customers: Customer Strategy and Orientation},
	journal = {Technology Innovation Management Review},
	volume = {10},
	year = {2020},
	month = {03/2020},
	pages = {79-87},
	publisher = {Talent First Network},
	chapter = {79},
	address = {Ottawa},
	abstract = {<Companies develop and refine their market offer by creating new products for current and potential customers. Customer-focused research and development (R\&D) is expected to shorten the time to market, improve cash flow, and reduce risks. It considers both customer strategy as well as customer orientation. In practice, this means that customer strategy directs current and potential customers to a company{\textquoteright}s offering, while customer orientation allocates R\&D activities to meet customers{\textquoteright} needs. This paper contributes to customer-driven R\&D research by investigating whether a company{\textquoteright}s offer meets customer needs that can be supported by customer strategy and orientation. Specific focus is given to companies operating in business-to-business (B2B) markets. The paper is based on an analysis of quantitative survey data from 292 respondents representing key account management and sales management professionals in Finnish firms across several industries. The findings indicate that offer meeting customers{\textquoteright} needs are supported by customer strategy and orientation. The paper provides guidelines on how companies can align their research and development activities to address both existing customers as well as current and potential needs and requirements.},
	keywords = {B2B, customer orientation, customer strategy, Market offer, research and development, value proposition},
	issn = {1927-0321},
	doi = {http://doi.org/10.22215/timreview/1339},
	url = {timreview.ca/article/1339},
	author = {Mikko M{\"a}ntyneva}
}
